Blessed Louis (Ludwig) of Thuringia (A.D. 1227)
Bd. Louis was born in 1200 to Landgrave Hermann I of Thuringia and Sophia of Bavaria . He was betrothed at age 11 to Elizabeth (St Elizabeth of Hungary), daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary, who was only 4 at that time. Elizabeth was later taken to the Thuringian court where she was raised alongside her betrothed. Louis Succeeded his father, as landgrave, in 1221. At that time the marriage was ratified, Elizabeth was 14, Louis was 21. Their marriage was originally arranged for the sole purpose of a political alliance between Hungary and Thuringia (now a part of present day Germany), but the two soon fell deeply in love. The couple had 3 children, a boy and 2 girls. Their youngest daughter has now become known as Bd. Gertrude of Altenberg. He was very encouraging of his wife's every devotion and charitable work. In fact, he is known for having paid for the building of a Lazar House on the slope near their castle, known as the Wartburg after having found a leper in his bed, who had come to the castle looking for help. Instead of seeing a sick man, he saw the suffering Christ lying in his bed. He was both a good ruler and a good man. More than once, he came to the rescue of victims of robbery. In 1226 he assisted the Emperor Frederick II, with his army, in the diet of Cremona. He was gone throughout a very hard winter and through an entire spring. Elizabeth was overjoyed at his return and, according to Berthold "a thousand times and more [she] kissed him with her heart and with her mouth". He then asked her how the people had done during the winter. Elizabeth replied "I gave to God what was his, and God has kept for us what was ours". Louis later replied to a complaining treasurer " Let her do good and give to God whatever she will, so long as she leaves me Wartburg and Nuenburg". The next year, Louis volunteered to follow Emperor Friedrich into battle in the Holy Land. It was shortly before his departure that Elizabeth found a cross in his satchel and had a premonition that they would never see each other again, on this earth. Soon after, with Louis in Command, the German forces gathered at Schmalkalden. On St John's day, he and Elizabeth said their goodbyes, as Louis and the other Crusaders from Germany headed of to do battle with the Muslims. Louis and his army met with the Emperor at Troja, and the army set off in September. Just 3 days later, Louis fell sick, and took to his bed with Malaria. He received the Last Rites and it seemed to him that his entire sick room was filled with white doves. Louis said "I must fly away with these white doves", having said this, he died. When Elizabeth received the news, she said "The world is dead to me and all that was pleasant in it." Bd. Louis was buried at Reinhardsbrunn Benedictine Abbey. He is venerated there, to this day, as St Ludwig.
Bd. Louis was born in 1200 to Landgrave Hermann I of Thuringia and Sophia of Bavaria . He was betrothed at age 11 to Elizabeth (St Elizabeth of Hungary), daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary, who was only 4 at that time. Elizabeth was later taken to the Thuringian court where she was raised alongside her betrothed. Louis Succeeded his father, as landgrave, in 1221. At that time the marriage was ratified, Elizabeth was 14, Louis was 21. Their marriage was originally arranged for the sole purpose of a political alliance between Hungary and Thuringia (now a part of present day Germany), but the two soon fell deeply in love. The couple had 3 children, a boy and 2 girls. Their youngest daughter has now become known as Bd. Gertrude of Altenberg. He was very encouraging of his wife's every devotion and charitable work. In fact, he is known for having paid for the building of a Lazar House on the slope near their castle, known as the Wartburg after having found a leper in his bed, who had come to the castle looking for help. Instead of seeing a sick man, he saw the suffering Christ lying in his bed. He was both a good ruler and a good man. More than once, he came to the rescue of victims of robbery. In 1226 he assisted the Emperor Frederick II, with his army, in the diet of Cremona. He was gone throughout a very hard winter and through an entire spring. Elizabeth was overjoyed at his return and, according to Berthold "a thousand times and more [she] kissed him with her heart and with her mouth". He then asked her how the people had done during the winter. Elizabeth replied "I gave to God what was his, and God has kept for us what was ours". Louis later replied to a complaining treasurer " Let her do good and give to God whatever she will, so long as she leaves me Wartburg and Nuenburg". The next year, Louis volunteered to follow Emperor Friedrich into battle in the Holy Land. It was shortly before his departure that Elizabeth found a cross in his satchel and had a premonition that they would never see each other again, on this earth. Soon after, with Louis in Command, the German forces gathered at Schmalkalden. On St John's day, he and Elizabeth said their goodbyes, as Louis and the other Crusaders from Germany headed of to do battle with the Muslims. Louis and his army met with the Emperor at Troja, and the army set off in September. Just 3 days later, Louis fell sick, and took to his bed with Malaria. He received the Last Rites and it seemed to him that his entire sick room was filled with white doves. Louis said "I must fly away with these white doves", having said this, he died. When Elizabeth received the news, she said "The world is dead to me and all that was pleasant in it." Bd. Louis was buried at Reinhardsbrunn Benedictine Abbey. He is venerated there, to this day, as St Ludwig.
